Secrets of the Moon
by kanyeet
Summary: To think that I could leave unscathed. That I would be safe in this…vampire night.
1. Prologue

_To think that I could leave unscathed. That I would be safe in this…vampire night._

•§•

 **Synopsis:** Sisters Cassidy and Brooklyn Rayner have always been close. Those who know them would say they're inseparable. However, when one sister wishes for an escape, the other wishes for her return; though Brooklyn wasn't expecting her escape to be in the form of Yuki Cross and Cassidy just wants to find her sister and go home without any distractions, like one certain Kaname Kuran seems to be. Only one thing is clear to them both, neither of them expected to be thrown into a world where creatures who feed on blood rule the night.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Vampire Knight_ or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OCs and this plot and blah blah blah—On with the story!

* * *

 **Prologue**

"Are we there yet?" Brooklyn asked for the umpteenth time. She only briefly glanced up from her phone to look at her sister, who was looking out the car window with her earbuds in. Figuring she couldn't hear her, Brooklyn shifted her legs that were already laying on her sister's lap and turned in order to poke her sister in the abdomen with her foot.

Repeating this action with more force until she got her sister's attention, she finally settled when she saw her sister turn to look at her as she took her earbuds out and shoot her a quick glare. "Ow, Brooke! What?"

"Are we there yet?" Brooklyn repeated, looking up from her phone to see her sister roll her eyes at her from across the backseat. "Oh, come on, Cass!"

Cassidy shrugged and then answered, "I don't know. I guess." She looked at her surroundings outside the window and said, "Maybe fifteen more minutes. Right, Mom?"

"Right, sweetheart."

Cassidy turned to her sister again. "And you couldn't've asked Mom or Dad?"

"I did, but every time I asked how long more they kept saying 'soon' or would just ignore me."

"That's because you wouldn't stop asking us every five minutes," Dad said, pausing to make a left turn. "Besides, there's no rush and we're making good time. We'll be at your aunt's soon enough."

* * *

As the car rounded a long path that led to an even longer driveway, Cassidy took in the familiar sight before her. No matter how many times she went to visit her aunt's beautiful home with her family, the view of all the flora and fauna that the Adirondacks had to offer never failed to take her breath away.

Her eyes lingered on the clear, blue lake behind the house as it seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. As the car rolled to a stop, Cassidy made sure to shrug her sister's legs off her as she made to grab her overnight bag off the floor. Not even two steps after she shut the car door did she feel two small bodies barreling into her as one set of arms wrapped around her torso while the other wrapped comfortably around her hips. She didn't even have a chance to speak before her little cousins bombarded her with questions.

"Hey, Cassie! How was your trip? Are you hungry? Dad's making lunch; we're about to have burgers. Do you want lemonade or iced tea? We even have pink lemonade if you want it. Mom's making a fruit salad for later and she also bought an ice cream cake so we can all share after dinner!"

"Cassie, will you go play in the lake with us? Dad just put up a tire swing but I haven't tried it out yet and I really want to. Ooh, you also have to see my room! I got a lot of new dresses for dance and more trophies! Did you hear that we won the competition? I even got my own solo and won!"

Cassidy looked between the two girls and bent down slightly to give them a better hug. She laughed as she did her best to answer them, "Well hello to you too guys—and that's great, Stephanie! I wish I could've danced as well as you when I was six. I'll go see your room later and we can go play after we eat." She looked up at the older girl who was still holding on to her as well. "Hey, Kayla. Where's your brother?"

"Oh, he's helping Dad with lunch," Kayla answered and Cassidy nodded, deciding she'd go say hi to him later.

After the two girls finally released Cassidy they ran over to her sister. As soon as she was free, she saw the girls' mother running out of the house wearing her bronze hair in her signature low bun, flyaways kissing her face.

"Hey guys, sorry about that. They were waiting at the door and were just so excited to see you," she said, a little out of breath. "Anyway, it's good to see you all. How's everything been? Marcela, you look amazing as usual." She went in to kiss the shorter woman on the cheek before going in to do the same to her brother. "No problems driving up here I hope."

"No problems at all, though I don't know if you'd count the headache that was brewing in the backseat," Thomas Rayner quipped, inclining his head toward his children. "You'd think with how often we make the drive up from Albany they'd've found some sort of arrangement by now," he said with a shake of his head.

"Hey!" Cassidy replied, "Brooklyn kept hogging up all the space and wouldn't make any room for me to lie down as well." She took a moment to stretch out her limbs from the two-hour drive before facing her aunt and bringing her in for a hug. "Hey, Aunt May. I'm glad to see you," Cassidy said, a smile forming on her lips.

Aunt May embraced her niece tightly before looking down at her, stroking her dark curls. "You too, Cassie. I'm happy that you're all able to stay for the night, and although he doesn't show it," she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "I think Jackson is the most excited," Aunt May finished with a chuckle.

Cassidy chuckled along with her at the thought of her little cousin. Though the ten-year-old liked to feign nonchalance, she knew that he was just as excited to see her as she was him. He was different from his twin in that respect: where Kayla was openly affectionate, Jackson was more reserved. Cassidy made a mental note to give him a big kiss on the cheek when she saw him.

Aunt May stepped back and clasped her hands together. "Well lunch is just about ready. How about you all get settled in then come back downstairs. Steve's grilling burgers and I know how eager the kids are to play with their cousins. I was just about to prepare the pot roast, so after lunch we can let them work up an appetite for dinner," she began as everyone was ushered inside.

"Oh, May, you don't have to go through all the trouble. You know that we would be fine with pizza or something," Marcela told her sister-in-law. "Though we're grateful."

May waved her off. "Nonsense! I'm happy to go through the trouble. Besides, I've been wanting to try this recipe out for a while now and I think you'll like it," she replied.

As Brooklyn brushed past her sister and mother to head up the stairs and go to her room, she couldn't help but mumble, "Like how you thought we'd enjoy your _zucchini pizza_ casserole last time?"

Cassidy began to laugh but quickly covered it up with a cough. Her mother also opted for discretion and hissed in her sister's direction— _"¡Silencio!"_ —before turning to Aunt May, "I'm sure we'll love it."

* * *

"So how are you liking your pot roast?" Cassidy teased her sister, chewing the meat off her fork and savoring every bite. Both girls had to admit, this was one of Aunt May's better dishes. Brooklyn was afraid her aunt would somehow botch the roast, but then presumed that was only the case with her more outlandish recipes.

"Not bad," she replied. "I can tell somebody's been watching their _MasterChef_."

Cassidy nodded her agreement before looking up at her aunt, who had just directed a question towards her.

"So, Cassidy, are you excited to start college in the fall?"

Cassidy wiped her mouth on a napkin before replying, "Oh yeah, and I'm curious to see what my roommates will be like."

Uncle Steve finished the last of his iced tea before he chimed in, "That sure is exciting. And aren't you doing the pre-med track as well?" At Cassidy's nod, he continued, "Well you sure got the brains for it, kiddo. I think you'll really enjoy it." He then turned his attention to the younger Rayner sibling. "And what about you, Brooke? Excited for senior year?"

Brooklyn nodded her answer, hoping to skim over talk of school, which, with her Uncle Steve, always ended up being career-talk. Unlike her sister, she didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up. Sure, she had a vague idea—maybe something in which she could travel?—and she had good grades, but she was unsure where she wanted those things to lead her in life.

In the hopes of changing the subject she decided to notify her parents of her plans with Cassidy. "Mom, Dad. Cassidy and I are going to go for a walk after dessert. Is that all right?"

"Sure, that's all right, sweetheart," her father answered. "As long as you don't stay out too late or go too far, it's not a problem."

"Just be careful," her mother added. "I want at least one of you to carry a bag with extra flashlights and a portable charger in case your phones die on you." She paused to sip on her pink lemonade before continuing, "And don't forget to put on bug spray."

Brooklyn brushed a chocolate strand of hair out of her eyes before bringing another piece of the roast up to her lips. "Don't worry, Mom. We'll be fine," she replied before looking at her sister.

Cassidy's blue eyes locked with her sister's brown ones briefly before she looked over at her parents. "Yeah," she agreed. "We always are."

* * *

Cassidy closed the front door behind her and made her way off the porch and down the front steps with her sister.

The two began their usual trail, admiring the beautiful houses and even more beautiful plant life as they went. Cassidy thought it perfect, how everything was set up. Each house surrounded by nature, given enough privacy from neighbors, yet also not completely isolated from the world.

She and Brooklyn stopped once they reached a high vantage point overviewing the lake.

 _This_ , Cassidy thought, _this is why I should go outside more._

The lake still seemed to sparkle in the gleam of the sunset, its glow casting everything in its pink and orange hue. From the rocks to the water and the trees, it all radiated a soft shine, its effect only doubled by the touch of the early summer breeze.

Cassidy brushed a spiral curl away as it fell in her face from the gentle wind, settling herself on top of an even rock beside her sister. "If only we had sunsets like this back in the city."

Brooklyn hummed in agreement, "Yeah," before shifting herself to lean on the trunk of a tree and bringing her knees up toward her chest.

Cassidy mirrored her image on the opposing tree, their bodies turned toward the other but their heads facing the scenic view, and rested her arm on her right knee.

"Cass?"

"Hmm?" Cassidy looked over at her sister, who seemed to be bothered by something.

"How often do you think you'll be able to visit when you leave?" Brooklyn inquired. They were close enough that Cassidy could see her playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Depends," she answered. "I'm out of state, but I'm definitely coming home for the holidays and breaks. I know schoolwork will most likely prohibit me from coming home more than that but…" she paused, "maybe I can come home for Halloween if I'm not swamped?"

"Yeah," Brooklyn nodded then let a small smirk appear on her face, "and who knows? Maybe by then you'll have found yourself a boyfriend to bring home."

Cassidy scoffed, "As if," but then relented, a small smile of her own playing on her lips at her sister's teasing. "We'll see. You know I'm not actively searching for a boyfriend right now, but if someone happens to come along and we click then… I guess I won't be so opposed to having one." Cassidy paused, musing out loud, "Though I don't think that'd be anytime soon."

"Probably not," Brooklyn added on. "You're too picky."

Cassidy pinned her sister with a look, though Brooklyn could tell she was still amused. "Call me what you want but I don't think I'm _that_ picky; I just have a few standards. Plus I haven't met anyone I felt that way about yet and there's no rush."

Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever, I guess," she paused to tuck her feet under her, sitting with her legs crossed. "Is Declan still trying to get with you?"

Cassidy took a moment before answering. "That boy," she muttered, "won't stop hitting me up! No matter how many times I show I'm not interested he just doesn't get the hint. I'm either going to have to be blunt with him or act like my line is constantly dead."

Brooklyn laughed and Cassidy joined in with her own chuckle. "Anyway Brooke, how are things between you and Kyle?" Cassidy questioned her when their laughter died down, knowing of her sister's on and off relationship.

"Meh, same as always. I'm done playing games with him; I think I'm just gonna cut him off soon," Brooklyn answered, and Cassidy could tell she was slightly annoyed at the thought of him.

"Yeah, you should." She gave a sharp nod, deciding to veer the conversation away from the opposite gender. "So tell me, when did you learn how to do a backflip in the lake?"

* * *

When both girls finally got up from their positions, the sky was dark and dotted with stars.

Cassidy checked her phone as Brooklyn hefted her bag over her shoulder. "I guess we should start heading back," Cassidy stated. "It's after ten."

"Yeah, I guess," Brooklyn replied. "But can we stop somewhere on the way back? I think I saw a clearing and I want to check it out."

"Sure, but let's make it quick. I don't need Mom giving me an earful when we get back."

As Brooklyn led the way in their trail back to their aunt's, she stopped once she came across a small path among the brush. They followed the path that led deeper into the forest, only stopping when they saw a bewitching pond in the clearing. They both gasped at its beauty. Though small, the pond was glittering as it reflected the millions of stars in the sky. Brooklyn came to the edge and sat herself down as Cassidy followed suit.

With the bag situated in between them, Brooklyn moved to turn off her flashlight and put it in with the rest of the bag's contents since Cassidy still had hers out, but stopped when her fingers felt the fore edge of a book. They skimmed the unconnected pages as she brought it out from the confines of the bag, and she tried to make out the cover in the dim light.

 _Vampire Knight_ , it read back to her. _Oh_ , she thought, _I forgot I left this in here._

She had already finished reading the manga as well as seen the anime, but she had recently decided to reread the series—though it was more for nostalgia's sake than enjoyment. She wanted to revisit her time with Yuki, Kaname, and Zero—if only for a little bit. Brooklyn brought the first volume on the trip with her so she could begin reading in the car, but gave up on that idea when the first signs of nausea hit her about ten minutes into the drive. As she tried to discern the faces on the cover with the minimal lighting offered, she heard her sister's voice ask her a question.

"How come we've never seen this before? I mean, we've visited a thousand times but I don't recall ever seeing _this_. It's absolutely beautiful!"

"Beats me," Brooklyn shrugged, letting the book fall into her lap. "This is the first time I noticed the pathway on our way up." She looked up at the sky like her sister was currently doing and noted the absence of a certain celestial body. "Where's the moon?"

Cassidy shifted her gaze from the stars to the pond to finally landing on her sister. "Well you see," she began, "tonight's a new moon, so we won't be able to see the moon since the side facing the earth isn't receiving any sunlight and, as you know, the moon does not create light, but reflects sunlight."

Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "You know, you could've just stopped at 'tonight's a new moon,' Little Miss _I Love Space_ ," she mocked with a raise of her brows.

Cassidy just smiled at her. "But tonight's not just any new moon," she explained, leaning in close to her sister, "tonight's a new moon _supermoon_."

Brooklyn looked at her questioningly, "And what's a supermoon?"

Cassidy leaned back then glanced up at the sky and back at her sister. "It's just when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. Basically it's supposed to look bigger than it usually does." She picked a stray thread off her shorts and continued, "However, since this a new moon supermoon instead of a full moon supermoon and we can't see a new moon, we just know it's closer to the earth than it usually is." She paused, then added, "It's also why the stars appear to be shining brighter tonight; since the moon's light isn't taking away from theirs."

"Anything else, Galileo?"

Cassidy shrugged and plucked a few blades of grass from the ground. "Eh, well, you know how there are a slew of myths surrounding the moon?" Brooklyn just raised her hand and gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Well there are, and there's one about the supermoon." Cassidy halted in her defacement to the patch of earth to look at her sister. "Apparently if you make a wish on a supermoon, it's supposed to come true." She let her eyes wander back to the sky but didn't stop in her explanation. "I think people usually refer to _full moon_ supermoons regarding that myth, but a supermoon nonetheless."

She closed her eyes as her head slightly tilted upwards in the direction of the sky, and it took a moment before she opened her eyes and turned to face her sister again.

"Okay, your turn," Cassidy stated.

"What?" Brooklyn replied.

"You heard me. It's your turn to make a wish," she answered. "Make a wish and then we'll head back to Aunt May's."

Brooklyn hesitated, but then thought it petty to argue with her. "Okay," she acquiesced. She mimicked her sister by closing her eyes and slightly tilted her head up. _Okay. Wish_ , she thought. _Shouldn't be too hard._

When nothing immediately came to her, she was just going to wish that the McDonald's by her house would finally fix the soft serve machine that they always claimed was broken until thoughts of what was currently bothering her came unbidden.

She thought about how, with senior year approaching, she was unsure what she wanted to do with her life and where she even wanted to go to school when senior year ended. She thought about her rocky relationship with Kyle and how it wasn't even a relationship at all. And finally, she thought about how her sister was leaving. Her sister was leaving to go to college while she was going to stay home. Her sister, her other half, was going to go away and start studying for a career she knew she wanted when she was only eight years old.

Brooklyn could feel all her worries building up inside her when her hands suddenly rested against the book in her lap. Her eyes were still closed and her head was still tilted toward the sky, but she closed her hands around the sides of the manga and thought of the faces that she was trying to discern in the dark only minutes ago.

 _I wish_ , she began, _I wish I knew what I wanted. I'm like Yuki; I can't make a decision. The way she couldn't decide between Zero and Kaname, I can't decide what underwear I'm going to wear tomorrow, never mind what I want to do with the rest of my life. I also wish I can find someone who'll love me as much as Zero and Kaname loved Yuki. And lastly,_ she gripped the manga tighter, _I wish that I can still go to school with my sister. I don't want to be apart from her, even if it's just for the school year. I'll miss her too much, and I don't know what I'll do without her._

Brooklyn eased her hold on the book in her hands before opening her eyes and looking at her sister, whose gaze was fixed on the little incandescent bodies of light that shone bright against the darkness that was the night sky.

She put the manga back in her bag before retrieving her flashlight and checking her phone. "Yikes," she said. "Mom's not gonna be too happy with us."

Cassidy sighed, "I know. I already checked my phone and she sent me like twenty messages. Only when I texted her back saying we were on the way did she finally ease up." She stood and pulled Brooklyn up along with her. "Alright, I guess we should _really_ be heading back this time."

Brooklyn nodded and let go of her sister's hand. "Yeah," she agreed. "Let's head back."

* * *

As Brooklyn got ready for bed that night, she didn't fully realize how tired she was until her head hit the soft satin of the pillow.

Admittedly, she was more tired than she originally thought she would be. Yeah, she had a long day filled with driving and playing with her cousins and hiking with her sister, but she was used to staying up later than this. She could feel the fatigue creeping up on her as soon as she and Cassidy left the clearing, but it hit her like a freight train when they reached the house. She was only able to avoid her mother's scolding by quickly excusing herself, saying she was tired, and her mother acceded when she saw the weariness in her eyes with the promise to pick up where they left off in the morning.

The last thing Brooklyn remembered was the memory of her stargazing with her sister before she entered the deepest sleep of her life.

* * *

Yuki awoke with a start.

She jumped and gasped before quickly slapping her hand against her mouth, cautious not to wake Sayori.

She looked around the familiar setting of her room. The same wooden paneling with the same nightstand, dresser, and twin beds. She eyed the lamp atop her nightstand to her right. Nothing had changed.

Then why did it feel so different all of a sudden?

It felt different because she sensed more than just her and Yori's presence in the room. When she woke, she could've sworn that they weren't alone, that someone else was with them. However, unless her eyes were deceiving her, she and her roommate were the only two people in the room.

Her eyes landed on the clock on the wall and Yuki had to hold back a groan. She _wished_ her eyes were deceiving her when she saw the time. Only two more hours until she was supposed to wake up at 7:30, and she barely got enough sleep that night to begin with since Aido could never just stay in class.

She laid down and hoped she'd be able to fall back asleep quickly, pulling the covers up to her chin, as it was only getting colder. It was when her head started throbbing that she knew, sleep was going to escape her yet again that night.

* * *

 **A/N:** WOW, I'm pumped. I'm happy to get the ball rolling because, honestly, this story's been swirling around my head for a _while_ now.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the first installment of _Secrets of the Moon_. From this point on I will be writing this story in first person POV from Cassidy's perspective. I'll still write from other perspectives, but anyone other than Cassidy will be written in the third person.

Let me know your thoughts!

P.S. Silencio = Be quiet


	2. Chapter 1: Be Careful What You Wish For

**Chapter 1: Be Careful What You Wish For**

I entered the main lobby of the hospital and walked over to reception in a way that was routine to me by now. As I neared the front desk, the receptionist looked up at me and gave me a smile. "Hello, Cassidy," she greeted. "Just come from work?"

I looked down to see she was referring to the logo of the bakery I worked at that was emblazoned on my T-shirt. I nodded before settling my belongings atop the desk and rummaged my purse to look for my driver's license. "Yeah," I answered, then proffered the desired piece of plastic out to her. She merely glanced at it before looking back at her computer to begin signing me in as a visitor, having already seen my license many times before, but was required to look at it due to safety protocol.

Deciding to continue with the small talk I began, "It was pretty busy today, though Fridays usually are. I didn't know you were working today, Carol. If I'd've known then I would've brought you something sweet. Are you working tomorrow? If you are, then maybe I'll be able to snag you a few cream puffs before they're all gone."

The older woman raised her right hand to wave off my offer. "Oh don't worry about it, Cassidy. As tempting as that sounds—because I know how delicious those cream puffs are—I really should be laying off on sweets." She paused to hand me the newly printed visitor's pass with my name on it. "But thanks for offering me anyway."

I took the pass and peeled it from the release liner to stick it on my chest. "Oh, you're welcome," I said before grabbing my things, smiling at the older woman, and making my way over to the elevator. I threw in a quick, "Have a nice day, Carol!" over my shoulder before stepping on the platform and heading up.

* * *

I walked the familiar route to the med-surg unit, not needing to ask anyone for help in finding it throughout the many long and complicated hallways of the hospital.

Once I arrived to my destination and was about to enter the room I've been visiting every day for the past month, I halted in my tracks to allow the nurse that was exiting the room to pass through. Noticing that it was Emily, the nurse who was usually the one taking care of my sister whenever she was working, I was about to greet her, but she beat me to it.

"Hi, Cassidy," she said. "How are you today?"

I gave a quick shrug. "All right, I guess. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine thanks," she smiled.

"How is she?" I asked her, a little hopeful despite already knowing her answer.

Her smile wavered a bit but her eyes turned soft. "The same as usual," she answered and put a hand on my shoulder. "But don't lose hope. It is still good that her condition hasn't worsened."

I gave her a small, polite smile and nodded. She patted my shoulder consolingly as I made my way into the room.

"Hey, Brooke," I said as I moved to place my stuff along the bedside table. I sat in the chair next to the bed and slid it closer so I could hold her right hand with both of my own, careful not to touch the IV in her arm.

My eyes surveyed her form as they did every time I visited, looking for any sign, any form of movement. But like each time before, they found none.

I looked from her face down to our hands, noticing that her tanner skin was becoming pale enough to closely match my light olive. My eyes returned to her face, searching for a quirk of her lip or a twitch of her nose, then strayed on her closed eyelids, imploring them to open so I could see the honey brown of her irises that I've missed so dearly.

I let out a sigh and crossed my legs. "So remember how I told you Avery and I were going to the movies last night? Well we did, and before we went into the theater we were waiting on line to get popcorn. So Avery and I were just standing there talking, Avery sipping on her drink, when this _super_ hot guy got in the line next to us with his friends. My back was to him at first, but only when Avery stopped talking did I turn around and, I had to admit, he was pretty cute. Anyway, when he made eye contact with us he winked and, as Avery was taking a sip, she missed her mouth and spilled her drink all over her shirt!"

I forced myself to get the last part out before I chuckled at the memory, remembering my best friend's face after she soaked her white tee. The short blonde was blushing furiously as she zipped up her windbreaker and made a beeline for the restrooms. I was about to follow her, but she made me stay in line so I could still get the overpriced popcorn with extra butter.

My chuckle turned into soft giggles as I continued. "I mean, it was only water, but the outline of her bra became more noticeable and she wore her jacket zipped up for the rest of the night. I felt bad for her and I tried not to laugh, but I couldn't help it! It was just too funny. Oh, Brooke, I know you would've been peeing yourself if you saw her."

My giggles died down and my temporary amusement turned into woeful longing, my smile turning sad. Save for the IV supplying her with nutrients and the monitor that was measuring her heart rate, one could guess that Brooklyn was only in a deep sleep, not trapped in the dark recesses of a coma.

It was…unusual, her situation. No one could explain or give a good reason as to why or how she entered a coma in the first place.

It was exactly a month to the day since Brooklyn entered this sleep-like state. I remembered how I had entered her room, going in to wake her up for breakfast since our mother thought she slept in late enough. It was strange in the first place since it was usually the other way around; I would sleep in late at any given chance while Brooklyn would wake at a reasonable hour.

At the time I had just thought she wasn't kidding when she said she was tired the night before, and I thought she was messing with me and pretending to be asleep when I first tried to wake her up. Panic only set in once I couldn't get her to wake up no matter how hard I tried.

I had hurriedly run down the stairs to alert my mom and the others. Only when she had seen the distressed look on my face and heard the alarm lacing my voice did she jump out of her chair and bolt up the flight of stairs, closely followed by my dad and aunt.

Suffice to say we had called an ambulance and she was rushed to the hospital, and since then, speculation regarding her entrance into the coma was ongoing.

From what we could tell nothing outwardly prompted her entry, and I was questioned the most since I had spent the majority of the previous night with her. Even so, I had made it clear that she seemed totally fine and that she was just exhausted on our way back to the house.

Her condition hadn't changed since then, and with each passing day she grew less likely to emerge, or even survive, from the coma.

I looked at my sister's stationary form. She was stable enough that she was quickly transferred to a hospital close to home, but even with the fact that she didn't need to rely on a ventilator to breathe, she still refused to wake or give any indication of movement.

My hope was dwindling because nothing had changed. It was possible that she could stay like this for months on end, even for years to come.

Brooklyn was missing out on her life. She was missing out on life stuck in this comatose state while I was able to wake up every day—admittedly struggling to stay positive and dreading what I'd do if she never woke up—yet still able to spend time with my family and friends, going on with everyday life, going to work, and "enjoying" my summer vacation before heading off to start college.

Brooke was supposed to be by my side through all this, not confined within these white walls in this clean setting. She should be surrounded by lavender walls in her own mess of a room.

I fought to keep my despondency from winning out and continued with the one-sided conversation.

"So Avery was thinking about going out again tonight, but I just feel like staying in. Maybe catch up on some reading or watch a movie; I don't know. I haven't really done much of either lately. It took a bit of convincing on Avery's part to go to the theater last night, and it was the first time I've been in a while." I paused to shift back in my seat.

"Well, I'm going to go visit Mom now, but I'll talk to you again tomorrow."

I uncrossed my legs and rested my sister's hand against her side, giving it a squeeze before standing and moving toward her face. I caressed her cheek and leaned in to kiss her brow. "See you later," I said as I pulled away and gathered my belongings.

I looked back at her as I walked out of the room.

 _Please come back to us._

* * *

As I stepped off the elevator and made my way to the ER, I bumped into the exact person I was heading to see.

"Hey, Mom," I greeted and hugged her as best as I could with my hands full. I was taller than her by an inch or so and was able to quickly rest my chin on her shoulder before we both pulled away.

"Hey, Cassidy. Did you just come from work?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I already visited Brooke and was just coming down to see you," I answered and held up the two white paper bags I was carrying. "This," I gestured to the larger bag in my left hand, "is pasta from the bakery. I got you fettuccine with broccoli rabe for dinner. And this," I gestured to the smaller bag in my right hand, "is a mixed berry tart for dessert." I extended my hands to give her the food. "Enjoy."

"Oh, thank you, sweetie." She took the bags from my hands and pulled her cell phone out of the pocket of her scrubs to swiftly check the time. "This is just what I need after the day I've had. It was so busy earlier, about three traumas came in back to back, but it finally died down so I decided to go check on your sister."

I nodded. Whenever my mom was working, she'd take every opportunity she could to go see Brooklyn.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?"

"Eh, I'm not sure yet. I may or may not hang out with Avery," I said. "But I'll let you know."

"Alright, sweetheart. I'll see you later at home then." She pulled me in to kiss my cheek and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear that came loose from my ponytail.

"Yeah," I said. "I'll see you at home."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to go out tonight?" the voice of my best friend asked me through my cell phone.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Sorry, Aves, but I have an even earlier shift tomorrow morning. I can hang tomorrow night though since I don't have work on Sunday." I said as I poured myself a glass of water. I took my cell phone off speaker and walked into the living room, plopping myself on the couch while skillfully avoiding any spillage.

Avery sighed, "Okay, if you say so. Maybe tomorrow we can just go out to eat. I hear there's this new Mexican restaurant nearby that I've been wanting to try out. I'm down if you are."

"I'm down," I said as I flipped through channels on the TV. _Damn_ , I thought, _there are no good movies on tonight. Should've just went straight to Netflix._

"Good," she paused and I could hear her doorbell ringing through the phone. "Kay, girl, Ryan just got here," she said, referring to our mutual friend. "I'll talk to you later."

"Talk to you later," I said and then hung up the phone. I turned off the TV and made my way into the kitchen to put my empty glass into the sink before heading upstairs, determining whether I felt like catching up on reading or not.

As I reached the second floor landing, I stopped in my tracks on the way to my room, staring at the door that was adjacent to my own. After contemplating for a moment, I opened the door and trailed toward the bed.

I laid in the unmade bed and snuggled into the lavender comforter that matched the walls, nuzzling my face in the soft pillow as I rested on my side. Closing my eyes as I let out a deep breath through my nose, I surrounded myself in the scent that was undeniably Brooklyn. Despite her fascination with the color lavender, Brooke usually smelled of vanilla, and I would sporadically come in her room from time to time when I missed her most to enclose myself with her former presence.

I was afraid of how long it would take for her scent to fully disappear, as I could tell it was slowly fading, but I parried my fear with thoughts of her smile and laughter. I thought of our squabbles and shenanigans, and of our affectionate raillery, and tried to soothe the ever-present ache in my heart that made itself known a month ago today.

Like many times before, I thought of the night I spent with her prior to her entrance into the coma. I thought of us stargazing, amazed by the beauty the night sky provided, and my explanation to her about the phenomena of supermoons.

 _Funny_ , I thought. _I forgot to mention that they usually occur in a series of three._

Tonight happened to be the second of this particular series, and next month would be the last.

I eased myself up and out of Brooklyn's bed to look out the window. There was still about an hour and a half of daylight left thanks to the longer days that summer granted. After nightfall, I'd be able to admire the stars once again.

 _But it probably wouldn't be as pretty as it was that night._

No, it probably wouldn't. Unless…

It was around seven o'clock now, so by the time I would arrive at Aunt May's it would be a little after nine.

I turned on my heels and briskly walked out of Brooke's room and into my own, changing out of my cotton shorts and tank top to don a pair of jeans and a V-neck tee. Knowing my mom would come home from her shift at the hospital within the hour, I sent her a quick text to tell her I'd be sleeping over at Avery's. I knew the short blonde wouldn't mind if I crashed at her house, so that was true, but I decided to leave out the fact that I was first making a trip further upstate.

I could feel the incipient guilt building up inside me from the lie of omission, since I was always honest with my mother, but I knew she wouldn't have allowed me to drive up this late, and I felt like I just _had_ to go see the clearing again.

After lacing up my Vans, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door before stopping and turning back to grab a hoodie from my closet. _Just in case it gets chilly._

As I ran down the stairs and neared the front door, I heard my dad call me from the living room. "Hey, Cassidy! Where are you going?"

I backtracked a bit so I could see he turned his head to look at me and not at the TV. "Oh, I'm just going to hang out with Avery. I'm sleeping over her house tonight." Another half-truth.

Satisfied with my answer, he nodded and said, "Okay, lovebug. Have fun," then turned his head to look back at the screen.

"Thanks, Dad. I will," I said and then ran out the door. I got in my car and drove to the gas station to fill my tank for the long ride, made my way onto the highway, and headed to the place I've only visited once before.

* * *

Once I parked my car I grabbed my hoodie that I threw on the passenger seat, along with my phone and keys, and a flashlight from the glove compartment. I shut the car door, tied the hoodie around my waist, and turned on the flashlight before I walked out of the park area and headed to the clearing.

I parked my car in the public playground and picnic area near my aunt's house. I decided the longer walk was worth avoiding having Aunt May discovering my whereabouts and telling my parents I was here.

Around twenty minutes into my walk I began to get irritated.

 _I could've sworn that it was somewhere around here_ , I thought as I was searching for an opening in the brush. _I'm pretty sure Brooke said it was somewhere around here when she found it._

As ten more minutes passed, I was close to giving up until I walked a little further down to find a break in the undergrowth and trees that made way for a narrow path.

 _Finally!_ I thought as I followed the trail. I checked my phone to see that it was a little after ten before sticking it in the back pocket of my jeans.

When I finally reached the end of the trail that led to the opening of the clearing, I was awed at what I saw. It was as beautiful as I remembered it, with the pond in the center and the stars glittering across its surface. I walked until I was at the edge. It seemed as if the whole night sky was reflected in the still water, and if I were to touch it, I would make ripples in space.

I put on my hoodie and wrapped the lanyard attached to my keys around my left hand, laid on the ground, and set the flashlight beside me.

 _Truly a sight to behold_ , I thought as I looked up at the stars. I felt that my hair was fanned around my face, and I reached up to twirl a loose, S-shaped curl around my finger before spreading my arms out by my sides and imagining that a certain snarky brunette was right next to me.

 _Oh, Brooke, why did you have to go?_

I laid like that for several minutes before sitting up and turning my body so I was parallel with the pond. I let go of my keys and rested on my right side with my arm holding my head up, and dipped the fingers of my left hand into the water. _Ripples in space indeed._

I wiped my fingers on my hoodie and proceeded to lay down again, looking at the stars as they looked back at me. It was…serene. I should have felt vulnerable lying supine out in the open as I was, but I couldn't help but feel safe and at peace as I ran my fingertips through the blades from the turf at my sides.

After I was done twiddling with the grass, I rested my hands on my stomach and closed my eyes.

Alas, my peace was short-lived as loneliness crept its way up to grab me by the shoulders. It seemed like no matter what I did or wherever I went, I would always feel Brooke's absence, and its effects were lasting.

I felt my eyes tear up, and I blinked to let a single tear roll down the outer corner of my eye to meet my hairline.

I squeezed my eyes shut. _Brooklyn, I miss you so much. Please,_ please _come back to us. You have to wake up. I_ need _you to wake up. I need to see your smiling face again and hear your voice, hear your laugh. Mom, Dad…I can tell they put up a front for me, but it's not the same without you._ I squeezed my eyes tighter. _I wish…I wish_ , I paused. _I wish we can be together again._

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. The night sky looked blurry through my tears. I wiped away any before they could fall.

Right then I felt fatigue drape over me like a blanket, so I turned on my side and closed my eyes.

 _It wouldn't hurt just to rest my eyes for a few minutes, right? I mean, I'll just take a quick nap before I drive home. If anyone comes and tries to pull one over on me I'll just aim for the vitals._

The last thing I saw was the pond shimmering in the starlight before I was lulled into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Oh Yuki, darling, would you please pass me the chocolate chips?" Kaien Cross asked as he poured more flour into the large bowl on the countertop.

Yuki left her spot at the doorway and entered the kitchen, picking up the bag of chocolate chips on the table and placing them into her adoptive father's hands. She watched as he poured the chocolate chips in the bowl, paused to examine its contents, then continued to pour some more.

"Um, Headmaster? As much as I appreciate you making cookies for me, you really don't have to. Dinner wasn't that bad, I swear. I honestly enjoyed it." Yuki knew that the headmaster was only going through all this trouble because he thought he failed at dinner and wanted to make it up to her through dessert. In reality, the exotic soup he brought out for her and Zero wasn't bad at all. She was just too quick to eat it without letting it cool down first, resulting in the hot liquid burning her tongue and her spitting it back into the bowl.

When Kaien saw Yuki's reaction to his hard work, he began "crying" in his usual melodramatic fashion and vowed to remedy his mistake by making something that Yuki would enjoy. He wasn't appeased when Yuki tried to explain her reaction, or even when she finished her entire bowl and asked for another. He had thought she was just trying to spare his feelings like she usually did.

"Oh, Yuki. There is no need to soothe me any longer! I will make it up to you no matter what; I promise you that." Yuki sighed as he continued, waving the wooden spoon in his hand around as he gesticulated. "I would do anything for my precious daughter, and if that means baking her chocolate chip cookies, then so be it!" He stopped in his soliloquy and gesticulations to begin stirring the mix in the large bowl. "That is," he hesitantly asked over his shoulder, "chocolate chip is your favorite, right?" He wanted to make sure he didn't get that wrong too.

"Yes," Yuki answered, trailing off, "chocolate chip is my favorite…" She could vaguely recall the headmaster humming in joy and going off on some tangent, before her surroundings changed and she succumbed to the new perception.

 _"Brooke!" a man called, and he looked to be wandering through a kitchen. "Brooke, I know it was you who ate all my cookies. I'm not mad; I just want you to come out and confess." He gave up on looking in the kitchen and turned around to head into the dining room before he heard a giggle come from behind the island. He was able to catch a glimpse of a small foot before he heard tiny footsteps dash into the living room._

 _The man gave a small smile and a shake of his head before playing along. "Oh, where could Brooke be?" he said and glanced around the island and looked under the kitchen table. "Well she's not in the kitchen," he affirmed and walked further away from the living room. "Maybe she's in the dining room," he called out._

 _He stopped in his tracks when he heard a cute "No" peep from the living room. His smile grew and he spun around, pivoting on his heel. "Or maybe," he drawled as he reached his destination, "she's hiding in here."_

 _He heard her giggle from behind the couch and slowly entered the room. "I wonder if she's hiding under the lamp." He bent to look under the stand as he heard her muffled laughter, then stood upright. "Hmm," he tapped his chin, "Maybe she's behind the TV." He looked behind the TV and stated, "Nope, not here either. Am I getting hotter or colder?"_

 _"Colder," she replied. He went to peek behind the window curtain and gave a big sigh._

 _"I'm never going to find her!" he exclaimed, and her giggling only increased. "Unless…," he drew out, "she's behind the couch."_

 _The little girl squealed with delight as he scooped her up in his arms, her giggles mixing with his own laugh as he twirled her around. When he stopped, the girl smiled up at her father, happy that he was able to find her._

 _"Well I've been looking everywhere for you, you little rascal." He smiled down at her. "It seems that_ somebody _has gone and eaten all of my cookies." She gave him an innocent look. "I didn't know we had our very own Cookie Monster in our midst!" She giggled and he continued. "What I_ did _know was that a certain little girl with a sweet tooth has an affinity for cookies, hmm? Specifically chocolate chip?" She nodded. "Chocolate chip is your favorite, right?"_

 _"Yes," she answered, "chocolate chip is my favorite."_

 _His smile widened as he gazed at his beautiful girl. He couldn't deny that she had him wrapped around her little finger, he loved her so much. His eyes even lit up with mirth as he noticed cookie crumbs spread along the front of her dress, and he couldn't help but chuckle as she tried wiping them off._

 _"I'm sorry, Daddy," his little angel said. "I really love cookies."_

 _His eyes turned soft. "I know, sweetheart. Brookie loves cookies." He leaned in to kiss her forehead tenderly. "My little cookie."_

The scene faded out and Yuki had to grip the table behind her to stay balanced. _That was the most vivid one yet_ , she thought.

As she straightened herself, she noticed Kaien depositing the last dough ball on the cookie sheet and then place the tray in the oven.

For the past month Yuki had been getting visions similar to the one she just had, though she had yet to decipher any of them or understand why she was having them in the first place. They would come at random and she tried her best to keep it a secret, especially from Zero, because he could always sense when something was bothering her.

In the beginning, the visions would be blurry and muffled and Yuki would suffer from headaches—which made the secret especially difficult to conceal—but over time, the visions began to clear up and come into focus.

At first, she had thought that they were memories from the first five years of her life she had forgotten, until she realized they always included the same girl, and that English was the primary language spoken.

Yuki was able to understand most of what was said in her visions—thanks to Kaien's English lessons along with her classes at school—but there were still bits that she couldn't keep up with since she wasn't fluent.

The visions were inconsistent, sometimes Yuki would get a sense of déjà vu and sometimes she wouldn't before one began. Her visions usually involved the same girl at various ages—Brooke, she had just learned—showcasing different periods of her life, and she recognized a girl with similar features whenever she saw her, since she appeared in many of her visions along with Brooke as well. Her sister, she presumed.

Yuki saw quick snippets of shared moments between them, and she could tell that the beautiful sisters seemed happy for the most part, but she was still stumped as to why she was seeing what she guessed were another girl's memories. And she couldn't help but wonder—how were they connected?

Yuki shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and focused on what Kaien was saying.

"…and they should be out of the oven in about eight more minutes. Oh, I know you're going to love them, Yuki! They already smell delicious," Kaien finished as he was cleaning up.

Yuki moved to help him, washing the large bowl he used to mix everything together. "They do," she agreed. "Thank you, Headmaster."

Kaien cried out, "Ah, my precious Yuki, you're very welcome! But please," he looked at her with big eyes, "call me 'Dad.'"

"I'm sorry." Yuki corrected herself. "Thank you…Dad."

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's it for Chapter 1! I'd say things are about to get even more interesting from here on out. A certain someone *wink wink nudge nudge* is going to be entering Cross Academy _very_ soon.

BIG thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited so far! I'm happy to know that people are enjoying the story, and don't hesitate to let me know if you spot any mistakes!


	3. Chapter 2: Unfamiliar Territory

**Chapter 2: Unfamiliar Territory**

The first thing I noticed as I woke up was the sound of a soft melody playing in my ears.

I hadn't opened my eyes yet as I still clung to sleep, the fact that I could even hear music not fully registering in my brain.

I only became aware that I wasn't in the clearing when I moved to tuck my hands under my head as a cushion, feeling smooth leather instead of the pliant blades of grass I was expecting.

The last thing I remembered was falling asleep by the pond, as I couldn't recall anything else, and as I opened my eyes they frantically examined my surroundings, looking for any clue as to where I may be or perhaps spur my memory.

I gathered that I was laying across the backseat of a car, with two people occupying both the driver and passenger seats, which explained why I felt vibrations as I rested on my side.

I tried not to panic as I had no recollection as to why I was where I was, and I had no idea who was in the car with me.

My mind was completely awake but it seemed my body was still half asleep, my movements sluggish as I shifted the right side of my body to get a better look around me.

I lifted and craned my neck slowly so as to not alert to my consciousness, and saw that the occupant in the driver's seat— _No_ , my mind corrected, _the passenger seat_ —was female. I didn't get a good look at her profile but I saw that she had long, dark hair and was sitting in what was supposed to be the driver's seat, even though she wasn't driving.

I rested my head back down against the seat and could make out a conversation being made between her and the driver—who, from the voice, I guessed was male—though I didn't care enough to focus on what was being said because I quickly recognized that they were speaking Japanese, and my mind went into overdrive.

 _Was I kidnapped?!_ My thoughts were running a mile a minute. _I can't be in New York anymore; the passenger seat is on the left while the driver's side is on the right. But could I be in Japan? Is that possible? I admit I'm a deep sleeper, but I'm not_ that _deep of a sleeper. And who are these people?_ I looked from the front and down at my body, noting that I was wearing the same exact outfit I had on before I fell asleep: the same hoodie, jeans, and white Vans.

 _If these people are my kidnappers, then shouldn't I be tied up or something?_ I continued to speculate as I formed an escape plan, trying to quell the fear that surfaced along with my confusion and anxiety.

Making the effort to prevent my breathing from matching my erratic heartbeat, I took a moment to calm myself down. As I did so, I was able to concentrate on what was being said between the two other occupants of the vehicle.

"Do you think she'll like it there?" the woman asked.

"I'm sure she will," the man answered. "That school has an enormous amount of praise and prestige surrounding it, and that Kaien Cross is a well-known and well-respected man. If anyone knows how to run a school, it's him."

The woman sighed. "I sure hope so. It's just that it's such a big change for her, with the move and all. I just hope that she'll adjust with no problems."

"I'm sure she'll settle in just fine. There's nothing to worry about."

They continued on like that as I tried to figure out what they were talking about, until I realized that I _could_ understand what they were talking about. I understood everything they were saying.

This revelation was the reason why I lost my pretense of unconsciousness—that along with a particularly large bump in the road that caused me to jump and give out a short gasp, grasping the edge of the seat so as to not fall over onto the floor of the car.

This caught the others' attention, causing the woman in the passenger seat to look back at me. "Cassidy, are you okay?"

What stopped me from totally freaking out was the not entirely unfamiliar face that was staring at me with concern.

"Rachel?" I breathed out. My confusion only heightened as I gazed at my family friend, deducing that the man driving the car was her husband. _Explains why they were speaking Japanese_ , I thought. _But still doesn't explain how I was able to understand them, or how or_ why _I'm here with them at all…Wherever here is._

It seemed like my confusion was contagious, as her worried expression changed to match my own bemused countenance.

"Are you all right, Cass? Did you have a bad dream?" Rachel asked. "Your father and I decided to let you rest on the ride from the airport because we knew how tired you were from the long flight over here. We should be arriving soon though."

"F-father?" I stuttered as I tried to digest everything she was saying. However, with each word she uttered, my number of questions only increased. _Father? Flight? Where is here? Arriving where? Am I still dreaming? What the hell is going on?!_

I sat up and looked from Rachel to Mr. Kimura, who glanced back at me to give me a small smile.

"Cassidy, be careful of your phone. It's about to fall off the edge of the seat," Rachel said before looking back at the windshield, and when I looked down, there indeed was a phone tipping over to touch the floor; however, it surely wasn't mine.

The iPhone looked smaller than my own and didn't even have a case, and when I picked it up to inspect it, I guessed that it was a first-generation iPhone, which was strange because I didn't think many people owned those anymore.

After pressing on the home button, the screen lit up and I furrowed my eyebrows. It said that today was Monday, December 24, which I knew was wrong since it was only the middle of July. I slid my thumb across the bottom of the screen to unlock as instructed, and tapped to open up the calendar.

To say I was floored would be an understatement. According to the phone, it was Christmas Eve of _2007_ , over ten and a half years than when it was supposed to be. I knew that the correct date was really July 13, 2018, but then why was this phone saying otherwise?

As if a lightbulb went off in my head, I reached for the back pocket of my jeans to grab my actual phone, since that was where I usually kept it, and was happy to find that (one) it was there and (two) it read the date I knew it to be.

I tucked my phone back in my pocket and looked up to gain the attention of the others in the car once again.

I had too many questions that I couldn't keep to myself anymore, and it seemed like they were the ones who held all the answers.

* * *

I grabbed a towel resting on the bathroom countertop as I stepped out of the shower, patting myself dry before wrapping it around my torso and grabbing another towel to wrap around my hair.

Tomorrow would mark two weeks since my arrival in Japan.

As I moisturized my face and neck, I admired the shine the polish of my nails provided even from the dim light within the bathroom.

I had spent the majority of my day out shopping with Rachel for last minute items, and I even went to the nail salon with her. She was very attentive of me the whole day and kept asking if I needed anything, to which I replied, "No, but thank you," every time.

I didn't want her to keep fretting over me, so when she offered to get our nails done together, I accepted and even waxed the hair off my upper lip. I commented that baby pink suited her, and she adored the dark cherry red of my own nails.

I walked out of the bathroom and into the adjoining room, passed the bed to reach my open suitcase, and tried to ignore the outfit that was laying across the end of the bed to grab a pair of pajamas.

One of today's errands consisted of picking up my new school uniform along with my brown, school-specified shoes. It was very "last minute" in my opinion, considering the fact that I was starting the new school tomorrow.

I had tried on the uniform in the store, and I was lucky that all the pre-ordered items fit me perfectly. Rachel complimented me on my appearance, and I had to admit that the uniform looked better than I thought it would.

It was predominately black, with an intricate white lining design on the jacket that matched the pure white dress shirt meant to be worn underneath, accessorized with a cardinal red ribbon and customized rose insignia silver buttons and cufflinks. The black skirt reached the middle of my thighs, allowing a bit of skin to be seen between that and the knee-high black socks.

I hadn't touched the uniform since, as Rachel was the one who laid it out for me to pack, because I couldn't bring myself to hold and place it within the confines my suitcase just yet.

I had no problems with the uniform itself. I was used to wearing a uniform, as Brooklyn and I had attended private school for most of our lives, and was familiar with a dress code. To me, however, the uniform represented my new life here, since it was the outfit I would wear for most of my days as a new student at Cross Academy.

 _Cross Academy._ I was hesitant and unsure, apprehensive even, of what my time there would be like.

Since my arrival, I'd come to the conclusion that Brooke must be here, too, somehow, specifically at that school.

I put on my pajamas and let my hair loose from the towel, smoothening my damp curls with a hair serum to keep the frizz at bay, and recalled my first day in this foreign land.

I had first questioned Rachel and her husband how I was with them and asked of our whereabouts, and they had answered with perplexed looks, stating that we had landed in Japan after a long flight from New York as if it were obvious.

I was pretty sure my face conveyed my disbelief, my thoughts running along the lines of _What the [insert expletive here]?!_ However, I had kept those thoughts to myself. I held much respect for Rachel and her husband; I had known them for most of my life. We were neighbors and close family friends, Rachel even working alongside my mother at the hospital for years.

It wasn't surprising that _they_ would fly to Japan. Mr. Kimura was from Japan, having met his wife when he moved to America, and they both had family here that they would visit almost annually. I still had wondered why _I_ was here, or more likely how I was here, if what they were saying was true.

My unbelieving and baffled expression only prompted more of their concern, and Rachel had asked me what the last thing I remembered was.

I hadn't answered right away, as I was looking back on the events of the previous night. I had remembered visiting the clearing, looking up at the stars, and wishing to be with Brooklyn again before falling asleep and waking up in that unexplainable situation. It was then that it all seemed to click into place.

At first I thought it was crazy, impossible. But after a moment's deliberation, it seemed to be the only thing that made sense. Could I have really been brought here because of my wish? I couldn't come up with any other explanation, and then I thought myself to be the crazy one.

I had decided to play along, blaming my confusion and odd behavior on a nightmare, and said I just needed a good night's sleep. That had appeased them for the time being, but I was determined to figure out more regarding my circumstances while playing the hand I was dealt.

We had moved into a new house, and at first I was skeptical of my theory, but as the days passed it proved to be more valid than not. Their interactions with me were more intimate than I was used to, and I learned they thought I was their daughter. I obviously knew that wasn't true, but it was only on the third day that I addressed it when I found a pink iPod nano in one of the pockets of the suitcase I was living out of.

It looked exactly like the one Brooke and I used to share as kids. It was a gift from our parents, and I didn't think it a coincidence that the one I found within my luggage held some of the same songs as the one from my childhood.

I had addressed the topic of my parentage carefully during dinner that night. I had guessed that I was "adopted," as it was obvious I didn't share any physical traits with either of them. Their features were representative of their Japanese heritage, while I was a mixture of my father's pale tone and my mother's warmer, bronze complexion.

I was nervous, picking at the chicken and rice on my plate as I asked what happened to my parents, my _real_ parents. It was strange. I'd regarded Rachel and her husband as a cool aunt and taciturn uncle for most of my life, but now I was playing the role of (adoptive) daughter with them.

They were hesitant at first, but it seemed like my pleading look pushed them to explain. Apparently they were good friends with my parents, and with their sudden and unfortunate passing when I was a baby, they were the ones chosen to be my new caretakers, which they willingly accepted.

From what I knew, they never had kids, and while they were close with my parents, I knew that if anything were to happen to them I would've most likely been placed in the custody of extended family, which I knew I had plenty of on both sides. Despite knowing this wasn't the case here, it was still uncanny seeing family photos of the three of us hung up along the walls and in picture frames atop furniture. There were photos of us in different stages of my life, from my first day of school to trips to Disney World.

I had realized that the impression that I was their daughter explained why I was able to understand Japanese the way I did. If I lived with them my whole life, then it made sense for me to speak the household language. However, I still opted to initiate conversations in English with them. It felt unusual for me to speak a language so fluently only days ago I barely knew. I knew I would have to get used to it, but for now I only answered in Japanese if spoken to so.

In the beginning I toyed with the idea that this was all just a lucid dream. However, I knew the difference between fantasy and reality, and this all just seemed too _real_ to be otherwise, despite how bizarre the whole situation was.

I decided to keep my actual phone hidden from my new "parents." Since my arrival, the date on it hadn't changed, while the date on my new phone did change in tune with the passing of each day. I had celebrated Christmas and New Year's these past two weeks, entering 2008 with my new family. Knowing that I was over a decade into the past troubled me, more so when, as the days passed, I noticed that Rachel and her husband looked younger than I remembered. I surmised that they must look ten years younger if we were really ten years behind, though I was still the outlier as I looked the same.

I prided myself on keeping a cool head this whole time, knowing no progress would have been made if I freaked out. Each day I thought of my family back home, even tried calling their numbers, but all I reached were dead ends. I was stuck here until I found a way out.

On the night I told Brooklyn about the myth of supermoons, that was what I thought they were: a _myth_. Although, the position I currently found myself in proved otherwise. I had wished to be with my sister again on the night of a supermoon—a _new moon_ supermoon at that—and now I was here, in Japan, about to go to some esteemed private school.

 _High school_ , I huffed. _And just when I thought I was moving on from that hellhole._

What I couldn't wrap my head around the most was why here? Of all places, why this school? I walked toward the end of my bed and looked at the uniform that I would soon become closely acquainted with, musing over the question that had plagued me and will probably continue to plague me for the duration of my time here.

 _Why did Brooklyn choose this place?_

I had wished to be with her again, and when I made that wish all I meant was I wanted her to wake up from her coma. I wanted my sister back. I didn't think making that wish would result in me being sent here. However, after I had all this time to think it over, I realized that when I told Brooke to make a wish that first night, hers must have come true just as mine did. But also like mine, it resulted in a skewed version that neither of us was expecting. She laid in a coma while I…I wasn't sure what became of me when I left home. Was I in a coma too?

Ever since I came here I was set up to attend Cross Academy. I moved here with my "family" after the company my "dad" worked for relocated him, uprooting our lives in America to create new ones here. Rachel had to transfer to a new hospital while I had to transfer to a new school, and from all the preparation put into my impending attendance, it seemed like I was going to be here a while.

I had long since given up on the idea that this wasn't real. This was happening, and by my guess, Brooklyn was at that school. For whatever reason, she must've wished to come here, ten years in the past, and I wished to follow her and bring her back, most likely leaving the same way we came.

I picked up each garment that was laid out on my bed and moved to place them among all the other items within my suitcase, fiddling with a strand of hair as I turned off the lights and snuggled into bed.

I knew that sleep would not come easy for me. My stomach was in a bunch of knots as my ruminations turned foul. What if I couldn't find Brooke? What if my plans went awry? What if we got stuck here? Would I ever see my family again?

Thoughts like those eddied around my brain as I tried to ease the tightness in my stomach, allowing sleep to claim me sooner.

Tomorrow would mark my first day at Cross Academy, and I was uneasy about what I would (or wouldn't) find during my stay there.

* * *

Zero reached his arm over the rice to fill his bowl with more ramen as Kaien and Yuki contributed to most of the dinner conversation, as per usual.

She had just finished talking about her day, mostly filled with her and Zero monitoring the students returning to the dorms from the end of winter vacation, and was just as excited as Zero to be going back to classes tomorrow—meaning they weren't excited at all.

Zero frowned at the thought of resuming his prefect duties. Today had not been that bad and he considered himself lucky that everyone settled back in with no problems. However, he didn't look forward to the dreaded switchover. He could already hear the Day Class girls going crazy over those in the Night Class, their irritating "Kya! Kya! Kya!" ringing in his ears. He enjoyed the break and was glad he would pick up night patrol again tomorrow, having tonight to himself before the responsibilities of a Guardian were thrown at him once again.

He would try and get as much sleep as possible before making sure the vampires stayed in check. Kaname Kuran even came by earlier this evening to inform Kaien that everyone in the Night Class had returned safely, and Zero's frown unintentionally deepened, turning into a scowl at the thought of their Dorm President.

He paused mid-chew of his noodles when Kaien addressed him, "Zero, I have an assignment for you tomorrow. A new student is entering the Day Class and I need you to greet her and her parents at the main gate, then escort them to my office. When I'm done briefing them you can show her to her room then give her a tour of the school and dorm grounds. Don't be late! It'd be rude to keep them waiting."

Zero swallowed and was about to answer when Yuki beat him to it. "What about me? Should I escort them as well?" she asked.

Kaien adjusted his glasses before answering her. "Normally I would have assigned this task to you, Yuki, however they are arriving in the middle of the day while class is still in session. I'd rather you stay in class while Zero shows the new student around. I want to prevent you from missing lessons as much as I can. Anyway, Zero should be done long before you two go over to monitor the crossover, so don't worry about having to do it alone," he finished before turning his attention back to his adopted son. "Zero, I'll give you a note that you can show to the teacher during class that'll excuse you from the rest of the day, okay?"

Zero nodded his affirmation. "Alright." At least he'd be getting out of lecture.

"Good," Kaien said then moved to stand up. He went to the kitchen and came back holding a fruit pie he had made from earlier. "Now, anyone care for dessert?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello, lovely people. I've done my best to chronicle the events of VK, as I prefer to work with a timeline, and decided to have this story take place in 2008 because that was the year the anime originally aired. From now on we'll be seeing more of the main cast regularly. See you next chapter!


	4. Chapter 3: New Beginnings

**Chapter 3: New Beginnings**

My eyes followed the line of trees that whizzed by as the car passed on, lazily focusing on their blurred forms as I tried to ignore the uneasiness I felt. The music from my iPod helped somewhat, but even it didn't prove fruitful enough as a distraction.

Sighing, I removed my earbuds and placed the electronic device in my pocket, shifting my gaze toward the front of the car as we made way to what looked like the entrance of a town. I moved to the center of the backseat and leaned forward slightly, inclining my head to get a better view of the picturesque buildings edged along the cobblestone paths.

I turned my attention away from the quaint suburb teeming with pedestrians and quotidian routine to the person sitting in the passenger.

"Are we close?" I asked Rachel.

"Yeah," she answered as she glanced back at me. "According to the directions, it should be over the hill."

I nodded and leaned back, closing my eyes. It seemed all too soon when I reopened them and found that the car was parked, Rachel and Mr. Kimura unbuckling their seatbelts and exiting the vehicle.

I grabbed my duffel bag and opened the door, heading toward the back of the car where Mr. Kimura popped the trunk and grabbed my suitcase.

"Thank you," I told him. We walked around the car and I stopped, taking in the sight before me.

 _Holy mother of stairs_ , I thought. In front of me was probably the longest flight of stairs I'd ever seen, leading up to a tall gate that protected an even taller building.

Rachel and her husband were close to the first landing of the impossibly long stairway before I hurriedly climbed up to reach them, my duffel bag hitting against my side as I bypassed them, practically running up the steps. My hurried pace slowed once I was only a few steps away, relief along with a sense of accomplishment flooding through me once I reached the top, having needed a break more than I'd care to admit.

I took in my surroundings, noticing how the stone wall stretched for miles on both sides, then directed my attention toward the gateway several feet in front of me. Standing behind it was a boy with—was that silver hair? As I walked closer I could make out more of his distinctive appearance. Lavender eyes framed by thick lashes observed me as I approached. He was wearing the school uniform along with a white armband bearing the mark of a red rose, the school's logo, on his upper arm. What caught my eye though, was the ornate tattoo decorating the left side of his neck. The dark ink stood out clearly against his pale complexion, the fine detail preventing my eyes from wandering and meeting the sharp ones that I could feel were scanning my own face. By my guess he was a student here sent to escort us, unless he was just fond of skipping class and hanging out around the main entrance.

I pulled my gaze away from the intricate design once my parent-figures were behind me. The teen surveyed us all before asking, "Are you here for a meeting with the headmaster?" When we all answered in the affirmative, my suspicion was proved correct when he opened the gate and said, "You can follow me."

I tugged the strap of my duffel higher up on my shoulder and trailed behind the group, contemplative as Rachel and her husband made small conversation in front of me, the aloof escort leading us all to what seemed like the main academy building itself.

It was grand in size and just as impressive on the inside as it was on the outside. We were led to an elevator, thankfully, because I wasn't sure how many more stairs we could take. After stepping out of the elevator and onto what I guessed was the third floor, we kept walking until our escort slowed to a stop in front of a set of doors, opening them before motioning for us to move inside.

We were greeted with the sight of a tall man with ash-blond hair staring out the window, who turned to face us fully once our escort stepped inside and closed the doors behind us. He then walked over to us, a smile adorning his face. "Hello and welcome. My name is Kaien Cross and I am the headmaster of this academy." He bowed and began to shake each of our hands as we all returned his greeting. "Thank you all for coming. The trip here was an easy one I hope?"

"Yes," Rachel answered as she finished shaking his hand. "Thankfully we were able to get here without any problems."

"I am glad to hear that," the headmaster said before turning to me. He shook my hand and addressed me, " _Konnichiwa_. You must be Cassidy Kimura. Are you excited to be attending Cross Academy, Kimura-san?"

 _Excited isn't exactly what I'm feeling right now_ , I thought. Nonetheless, I responded to his warm welcome with a polite smile of my own. "Yes, and please," I said and bowed my head, "call me Cassidy." I was afraid I'd fail to answer anyone who didn't; I still wasn't used to my adopted surname yet.

"Of course, Cassidy-san." He clasped his hands and walked behind his desk. "Now, feel free to have a seat and we may begin."

With that we all situated ourselves and began going over the school's rules, regulations, and expectations. None of it was very new to me as I was familiar with the strict nature of private school, already knowing a dress code violation or a spotted cell phone during class would lead to a detention. However, my ears perked at the mention of a curfew and a 'no interaction' policy with the Night Class.

"Night Class?" I questioned when the headmaster left an opening in his speech.

"Ah yes, the Night Class," he answered. "They are an elite group of students who attend class after hours and reside in the Moon Dormitory on campus. They are kept separated from the Day Class," _Why?_ I thought, "made sure by the members of the Disciplinary Committee."

As I was about to inquire the reason for this separation, the headmaster continued, "You have already met one member of the Committee, my son Zero who escorted you all here today, right Kiryu-kun?" the headmaster addressed the teen who had stationed himself by the doors.

I had been aware of the silver-haired boy's presence the whole time. From where I was seated, I had a good view of him in my peripheral vision, and throughout the entire meeting his whole demeanor showed that of disinterest. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall, and the frown he was wearing seemed to deepen when the headmaster referred to him as his son. The fact he was a member of this Disciplinary Committee explained the armband, but I never would have thought he shared any relation with the headmaster. They were different in their appearances— _I've_ never _met anyone with silver hair and lavender eyes_ —as well as their personalities. The headmaster seemed warm and friendly, whereas he came off as cool and distant.

 _Perhaps he was adopted_ , I thought. _Kind of like you._

I mentally shook my head. I didn't look like my father, my actual, biological father that is, and it didn't matter whether or not he was adopted.

When I came out of my musings I realized the headmaster had moved on to my schedule. It seemed since I was entering school in the beginning of the final term of my second year, I had to take exams for each of the classes to see if I was caught up, which, apparently I was. I reasoned this to be so I was able to transition smoothly into the school year without having to do extra work and pick up where lessons left off along with everyone else.

As I was given my schedule I looked on to see what my classes were. I was annoyed at having to repeat science and math classes that I had already completed, but soothed myself in realizing that I already knew the material. However, I internally groaned as I saw that I had to take Japanese history and literature classes; I knew they wouldn't be as easy. I had never taken a Japanese history class in my life! And speaking Japanese was one thing, but writing it…

I sighed. Even though I wished to leave this place as soon as possible, I understood that while I was here, I was going to take school seriously because I knew how I was. I always wanted to do my best. And anyway, I couldn't be _that_ hopeless. I supposedly passed the exams for those classes along with the others.

As the meeting was coming to an end, my parent-figures and I were required to sign our consent, Rachel even having filled out my medical and emergency contact forms.

I stood up along with everyone else as we made our way for the doors, shifting the strap of my duffel bag to make sure it wouldn't slip off my shoulder.

I faced the headmaster again as we all were saying our goodbyes, shaking his hand and bowing my head in our departure.

"Cassidy-san, you can now take a tour of the school grounds with Zero as your guide. It's up to you whether or not you'd like to tour the campus or the dormitory first, whichever you prefer."

"I guess I'd like to see the dorm first and be able to put my stuff down," I smiled. "Thank you, Headmaster."

We followed Zero to the elevator and were brought back down to the first floor. It was here I said my goodbyes to Rachel and her husband, as we were going in different directions. Mr. Kimura kissed my forehead and passed off my suitcase to me while Rachel hugged me until her husband had to pull her away, who told her that traffic on the way back would only get worse if they waited any longer. With a kiss to my cheek and a promise to call, I watched as my adoptive parents headed back the way we came.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. The Kimuras were the thread to my life back home. Their familiar faces comforted me when everything felt foreign. Now that they were gone, I felt the brunt of my situation hit me full force. This was the place Brooke was supposed to be. Here was where I was supposed to find her.

Thinking about Brooklyn only increased the weight on my shoulders. As I turned around and made a move to grab my suitcase, I registered that the handle was already in the grasp of another pale hand.

Looking up into the eyes of my now tour guide, I gave a light "Thank you" and walked so I was standing in front of him.

Raising my hand in between us as a gesture to shake his own, I declared, "I'm Cassidy Kimura."

Although I was positive he already knew who I was as I knew who he was, I decided that a proper introduction was needed to break the ice.

After a few moments when he still hadn't taken my hand I was regretting my decision, thinking I might've committed a faux pas I was about to bring my arm back to my side, until he raised his hand up to finally meet my own.

"Zero Kiryu," he stated as he shook my hand.

"Well, uh, Kiryu-kun," I said after we dropped our hands to our sides. "Lead the way."

He gave a nod. "Follow me."

* * *

I admired the scenery on our walk to the Sun Dormitory. The school looked very clean and well kept, and I appreciated the fact that my guide didn't try and entertain me with small talk.

The silence was a comfortable one as I was lost in my thoughts, taking in my surroundings with a mild interest. Zero and I walked side by side as we passed through the dorm gate and made our way to and up the steps of the dorm itself. He opened the entrance doors and I followed him inside.

"The Sun Dorm is split into two buildings, the Boys Dorm and the Girls Dorm," he explained. "The Girls Dorm is this way."

As he led me to my room, I was happy to see that it was located on the first floor of the building, meaning no more steps that needed climbing. _That's a relief_ , I thought.

Zero produced a key from the pocket of his school jacket and unlocked the room door. When the door was opened he turned and handed the key to me.

"Don't lose that," he stated.

"Alright," I replied and gave a perfunctory nod, placing my new room key in my back pocket and making a mental note to get a keychain. I entered the room that would be mine for God knows how long and observed its contents.

The first thing I noticed was the two beds placed on opposite sides of the room. The one on the left had clearly been claimed, as it looked to have been made in a hurry, with multiple throw pillows added to complement the light rose pink spread. The one on the right looked untouched, so I walked over to the side and dropped my duffel bag on top, Zero rolling my suitcase behind me until he stopped to leave it beside the bed.

I crouched down and moved the sheets to reveal a set of drawers underneath the bed. After replacing the linen, I stood up and saw a small dresser with a lamp placed between the other side of the bed and the wall.

Looking around the room, I noticed that the closet was half full and that all the jackets and shoes were positioned on one side. Looking further, I saw that a full-length mirror was attached behind the room door. However, the one thing I was looking for was nowhere to be found.

"The bathroom?" I questioned.

"Down the hall," Zero answered.

"That's what I was afraid of," I muttered. _Dammit_ , I thought. _A communal bathroom._ That _should be an experience._

Putting my hands in my coat pockets, I looked at my guide. "I'm ready for a tour of the school whenever you are."

"Okay," he replied. I imagined him thinking, _Let's get this over with._

We walked out of the dorm and across the bridge onto campus. A breeze picked up and blew my hair into my face. _Great_ , I thought sarcastically. _I just love the taste of my hair._

Moving the curly strands away from my face, I slowed my pace as we walked through the courtyard on our way into the building, falling into step behind Zero as I admired the beauty the stone paths and pools of water provided. The courtyard was green with trees, and I noticed there was even an outdoor seating area set up for students.

We garnered some looks from students ambling about, probably due to the fact that I wasn't wearing a uniform, and I guessed that it must've been lunch hour with the amount of students outside of class.

When we entered the school Zero first showed me the cafeteria, which was also filled with students, and the gym. He then asked to see my schedule—I had kept it in the inside pocket of my coat—and took me to the classroom where I would have all my lessons. He explained to me the layout of the school and proceeded to show me the nurse's office then the library, with me trying to memorize the paths to each one.

While I was exploring the library, I found myself searching for a head of hair the color of rich chocolate, and just when I thought I found who I was looking for, the face that looked back at me didn't hold the honey brown eyes and button nose I was so familiar with.

Disappointment stabbed at my heart, but I tried not to let it show on our way out of the building. According to Zero, our last stop was the stable, and I perked slightly at the thought of seeing horses.

As we walked, I was fighting with myself on asking Zero whether or not he knew of Brooklyn, to see if she was here. _The worst he can say is no, and if that's the case that doesn't mean she's not at this school at all._

Having my decision made, I asked, "Are there any other students from America that attend Cross Academy?"

"Not that I know of," he said. A little dejected, I was about to inquire again giving Brooklyn's name, despite feeling it too specific, when he announced, "We're here."

We stopped in front of the stable and I peered into the entrance since it was opened partway. I looked at Zero, and when he indicated that it was all right to go inside, I went forward to fully open the stable doors.

I entered and looked at the array of different-colored horses, going further into the stable to better look at the beautiful creatures, stopping to pet some along the way. Zero entered after me, going to pet the white horse near the entrance that seemed quite fond of him.

I neared the pair and asked, "May I?"

I halted in my approach when the horse whinnied at me.

"She doesn't really like people," Zero said. "She has a bad temper."

Looking at the way Zero affectionately treated the horse, I advanced slowly from the side, calm and deliberate in my steps as she observed me. When I was close enough I kept my body still, save for raising my arm and fisting my hand to allow the horse to know my scent. She lowered her head and I could feel her breath run across my knuckles. After a few moments I turned my hand and opened my palm, letting the horse sniff me further. When I felt that she was used to my scent, I stepped closer and smiled, petting her under her chin, slowly bringing my other hand up to rub the bridge of her nose.

"Now I wouldn't call you bad-tempered," I kept my voice low and soothing. "Perhaps just a little protective. Isn't that right, pretty girl?" The horse huffed and I gave a light chuckle, scratching her behind the ear.

I looked to Zero to see him watching me. "Do you ride?" he asked.

"No, not really," I responded. "I've only ridden a horse once in my life and that was when I was a kid. However, I do find horses to be especially beautiful and strong, right girl?" I directed my question to the horse. "She's very smart, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a little cautious," I cooed and proceeded to run my hand through her mane. "I figured she'd be more comfortable once she knew my scent, letting her know I wouldn't harm her." I looked back at Zero. "Or you," I added.

He nodded and I looked away from his lavender gaze, tucking a curl behind my ear. "I'm guessing we get to ride horses in gym class," I observed. "That's something to look forward to. I hope I'm not completely miserable at it," I joked. After a moment, I asked, "Does she have a name?"

"Lily."

"Ah, Lily," I repeated. "That's perfect."

I stepped away from Lily and faced Zero. "Thank you for the tour, Kiryu-kun," I bowed. "I enjoyed it, but now I guess I should go back to my room and start unpacking. Much fun awaits me," I gave a small smile. _More like a much-needed nap._

He stepped in my direction but didn't lose his hold of Lily. "Do you remember how to get back to the dorm, Kimura-san?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "And Cassidy is fine."

He held my gaze for a bit then said, "Alright, Cassidy-san."

I let my smile widen a fraction before going to pet Lily one last time. "I hope to see you again soon, Lily."

I stepped away. "Goodbye, and thank you again, Kiryu-kun."

With that I turned and walked out of the stable.

* * *

As much as I wanted to just hop in bed and hibernate for the winter, there was still an hour until school was over and I reasoned that it would be better if I got most of my unpacking done before my roommate got back from classes.

Shrugging out of my coat and kicking off my boots, I took my iPod out of my pocket and turned on my music. I began the process of unfolding and hanging and opening and closing drawers until laziness mixed with fatigue won over and I decided that naptime was inevitable.

I looked over my progress, deeming it satisfactory considering the amount of times I stopped to dance and paused to consider which shirt would go where. I was able to unpack the majority of my suitcase, putting all of my clothes and shoes away, but I didn't get to unpack any toiletries or hair devices, such as my blow dryer and straightener.

Deciding those could wait for later, I turned off my iPod and moved the sheets of my bed, making myself comfortable as I snuggled against my pillow and cocooned myself in the blankets, quickly tuning out the world to enter that of a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I could make out the sound of someone humming.

As I faded more into consciousness, the humming got louder and I slowly opened my eyes. A petite figure was sitting atop the bed across from me writing in a notebook in her lap.

 _A lefty_ , I noticed.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who this person was, as I immediately knew she must've been my roommate. Shifting in my bed, I rubbed at my eyes before I moved to check the time on my phone—my "new" phone that is—and saw that I'd been asleep for about two hours.

It seemed that I had alerted my roommate to my consciousness when she stopped writing and turned her head to look at me. Sitting up, I began to fix my hair and prepared to greet her until she beat me to it.

"Hello," she said. "You're finally awake." She laid her notebook to the side and fully turned her body to me and I followed suit, letting my legs hang off the side of the bed. "You're very pretty, and I must say that I'm glad to see that you don't snore." I grinned at that, and I was happy to see that she offered a smile that mirrored my own.

"Are you a light sleeper?" I asked.

"Nope," she replied. "Total opposite. I could probably sleep through a hurricane. I just prefer it to be quiet when I try and fall asleep, that's all."

"Well it looks like we have something in common then." I got up to bow. "My name is Cassidy Kimura."

She got up and repeated the action. "I'm Keiko Ishihara."

"It is nice to meet you, Ishihara-san."

"Oh, please," she waved off. "We're roommates! No need to be so formal with each other, right Cassidy-chan?"

My grin widened. "Right, Keiko-chan."

Looking at my new roommate, I guessed she was at least a couple inches shorter than me. She had light brown hair that reached just past her shoulders and, because I was close to her, I was able to see that her eyes were a nice gray.

"I'm glad you're up," she began. "I didn't want to wake you before, but now you can come with me to see the crossover!" she exclaimed.

"The crossover?" I questioned.

"Yes, the crossover!" she repeated. When I didn't say anything and only raised my eyebrow, she explained further, "For the Night Class?"

I only looked at her.

I remembered the headmaster saying that the Night Class went to school after hours, hence the 'Night' Class, but I didn't see why Keiko wanted to be there when they walked over to campus. I explained this to her and she gave me a knowing look.

"You'll understand when we get there," was all she said. She moved the sleeve of her uniform upwards to reveal a delicate wristwatch when she startled. "Oh no! We only have ten minutes!" She looked back at me. "We have to go _now_."

She rushed to put on and tie her school shoes, prompting me to go grab and zip on my own black boots. I didn't have time for anything else when Keiko grabbed me by the arm, practically dragging me out the door and leaving her excited squeals in our wake to go see the Night Class.

* * *

The screams were the first thing I heard.

Keiko still had me by the arm as we neared the gate that led to the Moon Dormitory, my eyes almost unbelieving what was held before them. A giant crowd of girls (and some boys) was clustered around the gate's doors, shrieking in anticipation of seeing the Night Class.

I surveyed the mass with utter disbelief, turning my head to look at Keiko as a determined look settled upon her face. She proceeded to body anyone in our way in order to get through the horde of people, me hanging on for dear life. _Damn_ , I thought partly joking and partly in awe. _She doesn't play around._

We caught some looks along the way, some lingering longer on me, but they were soon enough directed back to the gate in their enthusiasm.

As we got closer to the front of the crowd thanks to Keiko's proficient elbows and shoves, I was able to make out a head full of silver hair accompanied by a steely gaze which I knew to be unique to my tour guide from earlier today. I watched as Zero only had to fix a group with an unrelenting glare for them to yield in their hysteria; however, the crowd was far too large to be handled solely by him.

"Where are the members of the Disciplinary Committee?" I asked Keiko, having to raise my voice over the commotion. "I only see Kiryu-kun." I remembered the headmaster mentioning Zero being a part of this committee, saying it was their job to keep the classes separated, but I never imagined it being like this! I simply thought Zero acted as a monitor or something, but here he behaved more along the lines of a bodyguard trying to keep fans in check.

"He and Cross-san are the only members of the Disciplinary Committee," Keiko answered, looking around. "She has to be around here somewhere though. She always is."

"Wait," I couldn't keep the disbelief out of my tone, "Are you telling me there are only _two_ people responsible for keeping all these people under control?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she affirmed. "Well, it isn't usually _this_ crazy. There seem to be more girls, and I'm guessing everyone's just antsier to see the Night Class because it's the first day back from break."

"Wasn't winter vacation only, like, ten days?"

"Yup," she said, and then joined in with all the other animated cheers.

When the headmaster said Zero was one member of the Disciplinary Committee, I didn't think that meant one _half_ of the committee. Looking around me, I knew I definitely wouldn't want to control this crowd.

Still not understanding what all the fuss was about, I heard the voice of a girl raise over the screams telling everyone to clear a path for the Night Class. Keiko and I were sectioned off to the right-hand side as the gates began to open, the frenzy quieting and sighs of admiration could be heard instead of spirited shrieks.

I was taken aback at first. They were all _beautiful_ , every single one of them. I looked to Keiko, and she looked back at me with a face that said, 'I told you so.'

My gaze slipped back to the gorgeous group. It seemed like no one in the Night Class possessed a single flaw.

 _By 'elite,' does that mean they all have to look like they consistently appear on the cover of_ Vogue _?_

They were set apart from everyone even by uniform. Although it consisted of the same style of dress, where the Day Class uniforms were mainly black, the Night Class wore predominately white—immaculately clean in their design.

I let my eyes shift from one figure to another, starting with the lively blond that led the group.

"Hello, ladies," he proclaimed. "Still as cute as ever, I see. Did you miss me? Because I certainly missed you all over the long winter vacation."

His response was immediate, drawing out a chorus of yeses and various shouts of "I love you!" and "Idol!" from multiple girls, including Keiko.

I looked on in amusement. The charming blond was basking in all the attention he received, shooting girls a winsome smile every which way. He waved to his admirers, his electric blue gaze looking over the crowd when he paused and gave a wink, earning squeals of glee.

The tall figure at his side wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. He was more apathetic to the fawning adoration than anything, instead trying to rein in the golden-haired personality.

"Hanabusa…" he began, but his friend cut him off.

"Oh, come on, Akatsuki!" he grinned playfully. "Loosen up a bit, will you? These lovely ladies called out for us and I heard them loud and clear. I'm so happy they all came to see us today," he remarked loudly, eliciting another series of cries.

The tallest one of the group only closed his eyes and tilted his face downwards to shake his head. The messy strands of orange hair that fell in front of his face adding to his attractively disheveled appearance, as he walked casually with his hands in his pockets and shirt unbuttoned.

"Wild-senpai!" Keiko called out in his direction. Other girls tried to catch his attention the same way, "Wild" being yelled all throughout the crowd.

My eyes shifted to the lean build of a sunny-haired student behind him who was offering kind smiles to the Day Class girls. I then let them wander to a boy and girl walking together—the most impassive-looking pair I had seen yet. The girl's hair was perfectly straight with a marmalade hue, tied up with black ribbons into high pigtails on the sides of her head, bangs framing her face. This along with her ivory skin gave her a doll-like appearance, the boy at her side just as pale. However, his hair was a shade of burgundy that was kept in a rather unkempt condition, like most of the males in the Night Class.

The pair's expression screamed of boredom, and I looked past them and on to the willowy physique of a girl with long, toffee-colored tresses that fell in waves down her back. She possessed an elegant mien, though looked a bit unimpressed with the adulation surrounding her and her classmates.

My breath caught when my eyes fell upon a tall form in the center of the group. They didn't stray to anyone else as they were captivated by what they saw. His dark brown hair reached his collar, his bangs falling into his pleasant face. The striking young man seemed even more flawless than the other members of his class, and I found myself wishing to see his eyes.

I shook my head when I realized I was in a daze, not liking my train of thought. He was arguably the most handsome among his peers, and it was not lost on me how I was momentarily fascinated by him.

My attention was caught by someone shouting for a cluster of girls to stay back. I was able to pinpoint the voice down the line of girls pushing over each other in order to get a better view of the Night Class. It was the same voice that was telling everyone to clear a path earlier, and I saw the small frame of a girl trying to block off students attempting to force their way closer to the objects of their affection.

I guessed the girl was the other half of the Disciplinary Committee, and if her directions didn't indicate her standing, then her armband certainly did. She had short, chestnut brown hair and looked petite in size, probably half a foot shorter than myself. I worried the group she was trying to hold back was soon going to trample over her, as they became more forceful with each push.

She was looking around when she caught my stare. We stayed like that for several moments until it looked like her mouth opened in a gasp and she appeared to cease in her efforts of blocking the group behind her altogether.

"Cassidy!" was all she yelled before she toppled onto the hard concrete.

* * *

Yuki felt drained.

Despite getting a good rest the night before, the day's switchover called for more of her energy than usual, her tolerance wearing thin with each passing minute. The Day Class girls were more aggressive and daring, and she was having particular trouble blocking off a group trying to push their way closer to the Night Class.

Though their pushes increasingly became stronger, Yuki held her ground. She was looking for Zero to see how he was dealing with the crowd when she had to stop and do a double take.

There, standing a good distance away a bit behind the line, was a girl she recognized only through her unexplainable visions. It took her some time to fully process who she was looking at, but when she did she felt her whole body slacken with a quick intake of breath. _What? How…?_

Yuki was at a loss. Confusion won over as she was overcome by a sense of familiarity. She felt like she _knew_ who she was looking at—not just recognized her, but knew her as a person. She was compelled to put a name to the face, and in a voice that didn't feel like her own, she heard herself yell a name that was unknown to her until now.

 _Cassidy?_ Yes, she was Cassidy. Yuki was stuck for an answer as to how she knew that fact, but she didn't have time to mull it over once she perceived herself closing in on the ground beneath her. The concrete felt cold underneath her hands, and her eyes were closed as she tried to make sense of her situation. Surely her mind must have been playing tricks on her. She must have been more tired than she initially realized, and all she needed was a good night's sleep. There was _no way_ that she was here at the school, only several feet away among the throng of Night Class fangirls. It just couldn't have been possible.

That was what Yuki kept telling herself in an effort to calm her mind. She would have been successful, too, if it weren't for the soft voice that spoke directly to her.

"Are you all right?" the voice asked, kind with a hint of concern.

Yuki's eyes shot open and she could see a feminine figure kneel down at her side. When they were eye level Yuki tried her best to look as collected as possible, but she was so nonplussed she was sure it showed all over her expression.

"Do you need help getting up?" she asked. Yuki realized she didn't answer her first question, but she could only nod in response to the second because she knew words would only fail her right now.

"Here," she said, grabbing hold of Yuki's hand. She slowly rose as she pulled Yuki, who was using her other hand to try and push herself off the ground. Yuki's legs felt weak, so once they were fully standing and the girl let go of her hand, she shot out to grab her forearm, partly to steady herself and partly to keep a tangible grip on something that was so intangible minutes ago.

 _This is actually happening_ , Yuki thought. _This is real._

The girl immediately responded and went to grip both of Yuki's forearms. "Whoa there," she said. "That must've been a pretty nasty fall."

Yuki had to look up at the taller girl— _Cassidy_ , a voice in her head reminded, though the voice strangely sounded different—and took this as a chance to drink in her features. The first thing she noticed was her eyes, the midnight green sweater she wore making her ocean eyes look closer to teal, and Yuki could just imagine those eyes lighting up with mirth from laughing over shared antics and inside jokes. Next were her perfectly-arched brows, which Yuki could see being raised in either shock or question, and sometimes amusement. She looked on to her thick, curly hair that was only a shade shy of black, envisioning her twirling a lock around her finger in thought or nervousness. Lastly, she strayed down to her full lips that hid both an endearing smile and a mischievous smirk, when directed at her she could always remember feeling either content or conspiratorial.

 _Wait, directed at me? But I've never…_

Her perplexed thoughts were interrupted when she was asked another question.

"How are you feeling now? Any better?"

Yuki was only able to give Cassidy a kind of half-shrug. She wanted to say something to her, but she didn't know _what_ to say, or what she could say.

"What's your name?" Cassidy offered.

"Yuki Cross," she answered, a bit diffidently.

"Well, Yuki Cross, I'm—wait. Do you happen to be related to the headmaster?" she asked and Yuki nodded. "Cool," she gave a small smile. "I'm Cassidy Kimura."

As if that switched something on inside of Yuki, she tried her best to bow her head while they were still holding on to each other.

"Please forgive me Kimura-san! Before I don't know what…I'm so sorry that…" Yuki apologized for her blunder from earlier, trying to explain the social gaffe, but she didn't know how to explain _why_ she yelled out her name, mainly because she didn't even know herself. She had never met Cassidy before, and seeing her only through visions didn't explain why she felt compelled to do what she did.

"Don't even worry about it." Yuki lifted her head to look at her. "It's totally fine. I prefer to be called Cassidy anyway," she said, eyes gentle.

Yuki let go of one of her forearms to scratch the back of her head and gave a nervous chuckle. She didn't know how much time had passed between her and Cassidy, but as she looked around she saw several pairs of eyes on them, including a pair belonging to Kaname. She sent him a reassuring smile, and in her peripheral she saw Cassidy turn her head to see who caught her attention. Kaname then fixed his stare upon Cassidy and Yuki heard the girl give out a short gasp, Yuki looking between the two.

It stayed this way until Zero decided to come over, breaking their silent bubble.

"What are you all staring at?" he directed toward the crowd. "All of you, hurry up and go back to your dorms! _Now!_ " The Day Class girls shrieked and began to head back to their rooms. Yuki looked over to Kaname to see him send her one of his signature polite smiles before walking back to the school with the rest of the Night Class.

Cassidy asked Yuki once more how she was feeling before letting go of her completely, and Yuki bowed, thanking her. The taller girl just waved her hand to signify there was no need.

"Like I said, don't worry about it." She turned to Zero. "Kiryu-kun," she acknowledged.

He nodded her way then looked at Yuki. "We have to begin patrol," he told her, to which she agreed and looked at Cassidy.

"I'm going to head back to the dorm. Goodbye, Cross-san. Kiryu-kun."

Yuki watched her turn and walk away, wondering where she was supposed to go from here.

* * *

 **A/N:** I wish I had updated sooner, but between work and school…you know how it is. Let me know what you think! If you liked it, loved it, even hated it! I don't care; I'm open to feedback. See you soon!


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